Vanderbilt University is a leading academic institution located in Nashville, Tennessee, serving as a center for scholarly research, informed and creative teaching, and service to the community and society at large. Established in 1941, the university operates as a 501(c)(3) educational organization classified as a University or Technological Institute. The institution employs approximately 12,902 individuals and maintains a faculty of over 2,400 full-time members dedicated to pioneering research, effective teaching, and community engagement.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.8B
+4.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$71.8M
+17.3% YoY
Grant Count
192
+9.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$374K
+7.5% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Vanderbilt University's mission centers on upholding the highest standards and serving as a leader in the quest for new knowledge through scholarship, dissemination of knowledge through teaching and outreach, and creative experimentation of ideas and concepts. The university is committed to intellectual freedom that supports open inquiry and equality.
The institution's primary program areas include:
- Education
- Academic and Scientific Research
Grantmaking
Vanderbilt University operates a donor-advised fund through which donors can direct the distribution or investment of funds. The university actively pursues external research funding and has received significant grants in recent periods, including:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of the most recent available data:
- Total Assets: $13.9 billion
- Annual Revenue: $2.8 billion
- Total Investments: $4.8 billion
- Total Expenses: $1.9 billion (for fiscal year ending June 2021)
- Program Expense Ratio: 81.62%
The university has demonstrated exceptional financial growth, with revenue increasing at an average rate of 11.5% annually over a seven-year period. Vanderbilt maintains robust financial management practices and demonstrates strong accountability and financial transparency.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,766,694,412 | $13,149,511,362 | $13,531,777,510 |
| Revenue | $2,567,650,038 | $2,266,404,948 | $3,316,640,682 |
| Expenses | $2,297,164,772 | $2,025,948,154 | $2,029,890,292 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $739,166,968 | $405,457,697 | $1,589,140,119 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Vanderbilt University
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The university's board includes a majority of independent members, enhancing governance and oversight. The institution maintains the highest standards of organizational accountability and financial responsibility.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Daniel Diermeier | See Schedule O | 50 | $2,427,798 |
| Adena Friedman | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Adolpho A Birch III | Secretary | 3 | — |
| Alexander C Taylor | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Andrew Hoine | Trustee | 4 | — |
| Bruce R Evans | Chairman | 6 | — |
| Cindy Kent | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Conner Searcy | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Corey E Thomas | Trustee | 1 | — |
| George Huber | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Greg S Allen | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Ike Lawrence Epstein | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Jay C Hoag | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Jeffrey J Rothschild | Vice-Chairman | 3 | — |
| Jennifer Frist | Trustee | 1 | — |
| John Arnold | Trustee | 1 | — |
| John R Ingram | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Jon Winkelried | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Justin Ishbia | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Kathleen E Justice-Moore | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kito K Huggins | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Lamar Alexander | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Makeba Williams | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Mark P Mays | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Mark Wilf | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Nina Kohler | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Nora W Tyson | Vice-Chariman | 3 | — |
| Peter Marshall | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Robert Levy | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Sean Connolly | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Shaiza Rizavi | Trustee | 2 | — |
| Shirley M Collado | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Somto Okoye | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Steven H Madden Sr | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Suzanne Perot McGee | Trustee | 3 | — |
| Timothy L Warnock | Trustee | 1 | — |
| W Douglas Parker | Trustee | 4 | — |
| Anders W Hall | See Schedule O | 50 | $6,001,511 |
| Brett C Sweet | See Schedule O | 50 | $1,749,056 |
| C Cybele Raver | See Schedule O | 50 | $986,474 |
| Candice S Lee | See Schedule O | 50 | $1,222,589 |
| Eric C Kopstain | See Schedule O | 50 | $742,835 |
| John M Lutz | See Schedule O | 50 | $1,484,891 |
| Nathan Green | See Schedule O | 50 | $466,282 |
| Ruby Shellaway | See Schedule O | 50 | $815,093 |
| Steve Ertel | See Schedule O | 50 | $467,702 |
| Sydney Savion | See Schedule O | 50 | — |
| John Geer | See Schedule O | 50 | $1,066,194 |
| John Kuriyan | See Schedule O | 50 | $1,094,054 |
| Clark Lea | See Schedule O | 50 | $3,663,116 |
| Derek Mason | See Schedule O | 50 | $2,166,660 |
| Jerry Stackhouse | See Schedule O | 50 | $4,187,650 |
| Randall Thomas | See Schedule O | 50 | $942,715 |
| Timothy C Corbin | See Schedule O | 50 | $1,819,456 |
| Andre L Churchwell | See Schedule O | 50 | $714,062 |
| Lawrence J Marnett | See Schedule O | 50 | $672,383 |
| Nicholas S Zeppos | See Schedule O | 50 | $218,072 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grant activity and awards include:
Fall 2025 internal research funding awards announced
Vanderbilt announces fall 2025 internal research funding award ...$2.5 million grant from the William & Flora Hewlett Foundation for the Institute of National Security's research on AI-driven information warfare
Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security Awarded $2.5 MillionFederal awards supporting Peabody College researchers' work on speech-language support for toddlers with cleft palate
Vanderbilt Peabody College researchers win federal award to expand speech-language\Cultural heritage grants awarded to Vanderbilt Libraries for Tennessee America 250 initiatives
Vanderbilt University Institute of National Security Awarded $2.5 MillionGrant supporting research to improve detection of parathyroid glands in pediatric endocrine neck surgery
Grant\_supports\_study to improve detection of parathyroid glands\_in pediatric\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Maclellan Center for Global Christian Ed
CHATTANOOGA, TN
Assets
$592K
Grants
1
Total Given
$48K
Anne Bransford Wallace Foundation
NASHVILLE, TN
Assets
$553K
Grants
40
Total Given
$43K
Springplace Presbyterian Church 280-5019032
KNOXVILLE, TN
Assets
$140K
Grants
1
Total Given
$6K
United Way of East Tennessee
JOHNSON CITY, TN
Assets
$3.4M
Grants
12
Total Given
$202K
One Family Memphis
MEMPHIS, TN
Assets
$6.4M
Grants
0
Total Given
—
B & B Foundation
NASHVILLE, TN
Assets
—
Grants
9
Total Given
$2.1M
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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